US20150113915A1

US20150113915A1 - Food vessel packing apparatus

Info

Publication number: US20150113915A1
Application number: US13/980,670
Authority: US
Inventors: Sung Hee Kim
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2012-06-07
Filing date: 2013-05-22
Publication date: 2015-04-30
Also published as: WO2013183875A1; KR101446060B1; KR20130137456A

Abstract

The present invention relates to a food vessel packing apparatus having a vacuum packing function, and more particularly, to a food vessel packing apparatus having a vacuum packing function, which that thermally bonds a film to a top of a food vessel in a vacuum state to seal the food vessel. The food vessel packing apparatus having a vacuum packing function of the present invention, which thermally bonds a film to a top of a food vessel to seal the food vessel, includes: a base configured to include an accommodating groove in which the food vessel is accommodated, the accommodating groove being formed at a top of the base; a cover configured to cover the top of the base; a first heater mounted on a bottom of the cover, and configured to thermally bond a film, disposed at a top of the food vessel, to a top border of the food vessel; a gasket provided in a closed-curve shape along a circumference of the first heater, outside the first heater, and mounted on a bottom of the cover or the top of the base; and a vacuum pump disposed inside the gasket that includes a sucking port formed in a closed-curve shape, wherein, the vacuum pump emits internal air of the food vessel to an outside through a space between the film and the top of the food vessel, and the internal air of the food vessel is emitted to the outside, and then the first heater thermally bonds the film to the food vessel.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a food vessel packing apparatus having a vacuum packing function, and more particularly, to a food vessel packing apparatus having a vacuum packing function, which that thermally bonds a film to a top of a food vessel in a vacuum state to seal the food vessel.

BACKGROUND ART

Generally, vegetable, fruit, or the like classified as natural food or food delivered from a general restaurant is mainly put in a food vessel, and then the food vessel is sealed by a seal packing apparatus for packing food, in which state the vegetable, fruit, or food is kept in the sealed food vessel.
That is, food is put in a food vessel, and then a film is disposed at a top of the food vessel, whereupon the food vessel is sealed by thermally bonding the film to a border of the food vessel.
The related art food vessel packing apparatus is disclosed in Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2010-0023492, Korean Utility Registration No. 20-0428397, and Korean Utility Registration No. 20-0323115.
However, since the related art food vessel packing apparatus thermally bonds a film to a top of a food vessel simply, there is much air inside the sealed food vessel, and for this reason, there is a limitation in keeping food for a long time.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Technical Problem

Accordingly, the present invention provides a food vessel packing apparatus having a vacuum packing function, which emits the internal air of a food vessel to the outside to effect vacuumization, and then thermally bonds a film to a top of the food vessel to seal the food vessel, thus enabling food to be kept in the food vessel for a long time.

Technical Solution

To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided a food vessel packing apparatus having a vacuum packing function, which thermally bonds a film to a top of a food vessel to seal the food vessel, including: a base configured to include an accommodating groove in which the food vessel is accommodated, the accommodating groove being formed at a top of the base; a cover configured to cover the top of the base; a first heater mounted on a bottom of the cover, and configured to thermally bond a film, disposed at a top of the food vessel, to a top border of the food vessel; a gasket provided in a closed-curve shape along a circumference of the first heater, outside the first heater, and mounted on a bottom of the cover or the top of the base; and a vacuum pump disposed inside the gasket that includes a sucking port formed in a closed-curve shape, wherein, the vacuum pump emits internal air of the food vessel to an outside through a space between the film and the top of the food vessel, and the internal air of the food vessel is emitted to the outside, and then the first heater thermally bonds the film to the food vessel.
The food vessel packing apparatus may further include a vessel supporting member mounted on the top of the base and at a circumference of the accommodating groove, and configured to support a border of the food vessel, wherein, one end of the cover is rotatably hinge-coupled to one end of the base, and the vessel supporting member is tiltably mounted on the base in a rotation direction of the cover.
A tilt projection may be protrusion-formed at a bottom of the vessel supporting member or the top of the base, and the vessel supporting member may rotate about the tilt projection to thereby be tilted.
The food vessel packing apparatus may further include: a heating plate, the first heater being mounted on a bottom of the heating plate, and a top of the heating plate being supported by the bottom of the cover; and an elastic member disposed between the heating plate and the cover, and configured to elastically support the heating plate in a direction vertical to the cover.
One end of the cover may be rotatably hinge-coupled to one end of the base, a pressurizing rubber may be mounted on a bottom of the other end of the cover and outside the gasket, and a second heater may be mounted on a top of the other end of the base, at a position corresponding to the pressurizing rubber, and outside the gasket.

Advantageous Effect

The above-described food vessel packing apparatus having a vacuum packing function of the present invention has the following effects.
The food vessel packing apparatus of the present invention emits the internal air of a food vessel to the outside to effect vacuumization, and then thermally bonds a film to a top of the food vessel to seal the food vessel, thus enabling food to be kept in the food vessel for a long time.
Moreover, a vessel supporting member can be tilted in a rotation direction of a cover, and thus, the food vessel packing apparatus of the present invention can better thermally bond a film to a food vessel to seal the food vessel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a food vessel packing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a cover of the food vessel packing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is opened.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a base and a vessel supporting member in the food vessel packing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a food vessel is accommodated in an accommodating groove of the food vessel packing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and a film is disposed therein.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state which is covered and vacuumized by the cover in the state of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which the film is thermally bonded to the food vessel in the state of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a vinyl bag is vacuumized by the food vessel packing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

MODE FOR THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a food vessel packing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a cover of the food vessel packing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is opened, FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a base and a vessel supporting member in the food vessel packing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 1.
The present invention relates to a food vessel packing apparatus having a vacuum packing function, which thermally bonds a film to a top of a food vessel to seal the food vessel. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4, the food vessel packing apparatus of the present invention includes a base 10, a cover 20, a first heater 30, a heating plate 40, a gasket 50, and a vacuum pump 60.
An accommodating groove 11, in which a food vessel 90 is accommodated, is formed concavely in a downward direction at a top of the base 10.
The cover 20 covers the top of the base 10, and in the embodiment, one end of the cover 20 is rotatably hinge-coupled to one end of the base 10.
Unlike the embodiment, the cover 20 may be vertically mounted on the top of the base 10 to be ascendable/descedable.
The first heater 30 is mounted on a bottom of the cover 20, and thermally bonds a film 91, disposed at a top of the food vessel 90, to a top border of the food vessel 90.
The first heater 30 is provided in a closed-curve shape, for thermally bonding the film 91 to a border of the food vessel 90.
The first heater 30 may be directly mounted on the bottom of the cover 20, or as in the embodiment, the first heater 30 may be mounted on the bottom of the cover 20 through the heating plate 40.
The heating plate 40 is provided in a flat plate shape. The first heater 30 is mounted on a bottom of the heating plate 40, and a top of the heating plate 40 is supported by the bottom of the cover 20.
Further, the heating plate 40 is elastically supported by an elastic member 45, disposed between the heating plate 40 and the cover 20, in a direction vertical to the cover 20.
Therefore, the first heater 30 which is mounted in a closed-curve shape on the bottom of the heating plate 40 may be supported by the elastic member 45 together with the heating plate 40, and may move in a vertical direction.
The elastic member 45 may be implemented as a spring, or implemented as a hollow rubber.
The gasket 50 is provided in a closed-curve shape, and disposed along a circumference of the first heater 30 and outside the first heater 30.
The gasket 50 is mounted on the bottom of the cover 20 or the top of the base 10.
The vacuum pump 60 is mounted on the base 10 or the cover 20, and a sucking port 15 is disposed inward from the gasket 50 having a closed-curve shape.
Depending on the case, the vacuum pump 60 may be included in a separated apparatus, and used in connection with the sucking port 15.
The sucking port 15 may be disposed inward from the gasket 50, but preferably, the sucking port 15 may be disposed between the gasket 50 and the first heater 30.
Further, the sucking port 15 may be formed at the base 10 as in the embodiment, or formed at the cover 20.
Moreover, a vessel supporting member 70 that is mounted on the top of the base 10 and supports the border of the food vessel 90 may be mounted on a circumference of the accommodating groove 11.
In this case, a supporting groove is formed at the circumference of the accommodating groove 11, and the vessel supporting member 70 may be preferably inserted into and disposed in the supporting groove 13.
The vessel supporting member 70 is tiltably mounted on the base 10 in a rotation direction of the hinge-coupled cover 20.
To this end, a tilt projection 71 is protrusion-formed at a bottom of the vessel supporting member 70 or the top of the base 10, and the vessel supporting member 70 rotates about the tilt projection 71 to thereby be tilted.
In the embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the tilt projection 71 is formed at a lengthwise center at the bottom of the vessel supporting member 70.
FIG. 3 illustrates a state in which the vessel supporting member 70 is detached from the base 10, and turned over.
The vessel supporting member 70 is tilted with respect to the tilt projection 71 by an external force like a seesaw.
The vessel supporting member 70 may be provided in a hollow tetragonal shape communicating with the accommodating groove 11 as in the embodiment, or provided in a hollow circular shape depending on a shape of the accommodating groove 11.
Moreover, the vessel supporting member 70 may be provided in the form of two rods depending on the case, and disposed at both sides of the accommodating groove 11.
Further, a pressurizing rubber 81 may be mounted on a bottom of the other end of the cover 20 and outside the gasket 50, and the second heater 82 may be mounted on a top of the other end of the base 10, at a position corresponding to the pressurizing rubber 81, and outside the gasket 50.
The pressurizing rubber 81 and the second heater 82 are not used to thermally bond the food vessel 90 but are used to vacuum-pack food in a separate vinyl bag 92.
Hereinafter, an operation process of the present invention having the above-described configuration will be described.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a food vessel is accommodated in an accommodating groove of the food vessel packing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and a film is disposed therein, FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state which is covered and vacuumized by the cover in the state of FIG. 5, FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which the film is thermally bonded to the food vessel in the state of FIG. 6, and FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a vinyl bag is vacuumized by the food vessel packing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
When intending to thermally bond the film 91 to the top of the food vessel 90 to seal the food vessel 90, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the food vessel 90 containing food is inserted into and disposed in the accommodating groove 11.
Further, the film 91 is disposed on the top of the food vessel 90.
In this case, an embossing is formed at the film 91, and enables air to flow between the film 91 and the food vessel 90.
In this state, the top of the base 10 is covered by rotating the cover 20.
When the top of the base 10 is covered by rotating the cover 20, the heating plate 40 and the vessel supporting member 70 contact each other from a portion adjacent to the one end of the cover 20 and the one end of the base 10 which are hinge-coupled to each other.
Therefore, when the cover 20 fully covers the top of the base 10, the heating plate 40 and the vessel supporting member 70 are provided with a relatively great compressive force at the portion adjacent to the one end of the cover 20 and the one end of the base 10 which are hinge-coupled to each other, and the heating plate 40 and the vessel supporting member 70 are provided with a relatively small compressive force at a portion adjacent to the other end of the cover 20 and the other end of the base 10.
Therefore, a durability of a component can be reduced by a great force at a specific portion in which a compressive force is greatly applied between the heating plate 40 and the vessel supporting member 70. Also, the first heater 30 is partially detached from the film 91 at a portion in which a relatively small compressive force is applied, and for this reason, the first heater 30 cannot thermally bond the film 91 to the food vessel 90 appropriately.
However, in the present invention, the vessel supporting member 70 is tilted by the tilt projection 71 like a seesaw, and thus, as illustrated in FIG. 6, when the cover 20 covers the top of the base 10, the vessel supporting member 70 rotates clockwise with respect to the tilt projection 71, and is thereby disposed to be downward inclined toward a portion in which the one end of the cover 20 and the one end of the base 10 are hinge-coupled to each other.
At this time, the heating plate 40 also rotates clockwise together with the vessel supporting member 70.
Therefore, an almost uniform force is overall applied to the heating plate 40 and the vessel supporting member 70, and can prevent a durability of a component from being reduced because a pressing force concentrates on a specific portion, thus preventing a problem that the film 91 is not thermally bonded to the food vessel 90 due to the partial detachment of the first heater 30.
That is, as the cover 20 is closed, the vessel supporting member 70 rotates, and thus, an almost uniform force is applied between the heating plate 40 and the vessel supporting member 70. Accordingly, an entirety of the first heater 30 is closely adhered to the film 91, and thus, the first heater 30 can better thermally bond the film 91 to the food vessel 90 overall to seal the food vessel 90.
As illustrated in FIG. 6, when the cover 20 is closed, the food vessel 90 is shut off from the outside by the gasket 50 having a closed-curve shape.
At this time, the cover 20 is attachably/detachably coupled to the base 10 by a locking means (not shown).
In this state, when the vacuum pump 60 operates, the internal air of the food vessel 90 is sucked into the sucking port 15 through a space between the food vessel 90 and the film 91, and then emitted to the outside.
When the internal air of the food vessel 90 is emitted to the outside, power is applied to the first heater 30, which thermally bonds the film 91 to the border of the food vessel 90 to seal the top of the food vessel 90.
Through such an operation, the food vessel 90 may be internally vacuumized and sealed, and thus, food stored in the food vessel 90 can be kept for a longer time.
Further, when it is not required to vacuumize the food vessel 90, the first heater 30 thermally bonds the film 91 to the border of the food vessel 90 without operating the vacuum pump 60.
When intending to vacuum-seal the vinyl bag 92 with an opening formed at one surface, as illustrated in FIG. 8, with the opening of the vinyl bag 92 being disposed in the gasket 50, the vacuum pump 60 operates to vacuumize the inside of the vinyl bag 92, and then the second heater 82 operates to thermally encapsulate the opening of the vinyl bag 92.
The food vessel packing apparatus having the vacuum packing function of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and may be variously modified and implemented within the technical spirit and scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A food vessel packing apparatus that thermally bonds a film to a top of a food vessel to seal the food vessel, the food vessel packing apparatus comprising:

a base configured to comprise an accommodating groove in which the food vessel is accommodated, the accommodating groove being formed at a top of the base;

a cover configured to cover the top of the base;

a first heater mounted on a bottom of the cover, and configured to thermally bond a film, disposed at a top of the food vessel, to a top border of the food vessel;

a gasket provided in a closed-curve shape along a circumference of the first heater, outside the first heater, and mounted on a bottom of the cover or the top of the base; and

a vacuum pump disposed inside the gasket that comprises a sucking port formed in a closed-curve shape.

2. The food vessel packing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a vessel supporting member mounted on the top of the base and at a circumference of the accommodating groove, and configured to support a border of the food vessel,

wherein, one end of the cover is rotatably hinge-coupled to one end of the base, and

the vessel supporting member is tiltably mounted on the base in a rotation direction of the cover.

3. The food vessel packing apparatus of claim 2, wherein a tilt projection is protrusion-formed at a bottom of the vessel supporting member or the top of the base, and

the vessel supporting member rotates about the tilt projection to thereby be tilted.

4. The food vessel packing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a heating plate, the first heater being mounted on a bottom of the heating plate, and a top of the heating plate being supported by the bottom of the cover,

wherein the first heater further protrudes in a downward direction than the heating plate.

5. The food vessel packing apparatus of claim 1, wherein,

one end of the cover is rotatably hinge-coupled to one end of the base,

a pressurizing rubber is mounted on a bottom of the other end of the cover and outside the gasket, and

a second heater is mounted on a top of the other end of the base, at a position corresponding to the pressurizing rubber, and outside the gasket.

6. The food vessel packing apparatus of claim 4, further comprising an elastic member disposed between the heating plate and the cover, and configured to elastically support the heating plate in a direction vertical to the cover.

7. The food vessel packing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first heater is mounted in a closed-curve shape.

8. The food vessel packing apparatus of claim 1, wherein,

the vacuum pump emits internal air of the food vessel to an outside through a space between the film and the top of the food vessel, and

the internal air of the food vessel is emitted to the outside, and then the first heater thermally bonds the film to the food vessel.